Yates in winning form ahead of Tour

UAE Emirates dominate Tour de Suisse as team get ready to back Pogačar's Giro-Tour double bid

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Adam Yates left the Tour de Suisse not only as a World Tour stage race victor for a fourth time, but as a potential favourite for the Tour de France. The British rider, along with his UAE Team Emirates team-mate João Almeida, dominated the eight-stage race last week. The pair will now head to the Tour in the support of their team leader, Tadej Poga ar, but ready to step up should the opportunity present itself.

It is the second year in a row that Yates has won a WorldTour stage race in Switzerland, and the 31- year-old looked head and shoulders above everyone – save Almeida – in the Alps. The man from Bury won two of the eight stages, finishing second on a further three, with Almeida the victor on two of those occasions.

Last year, Yates travelled to the Tour off the back of second at the Critérium du Dauphiné, and duly won the opening stage. To be in Florence having triumphed at the Tour de Suisse will give him hope of more success.

Having finished third at last year’s Tour, there isn’t much more he can do, especially with Poga ar - who dominated the Giro d’Italia in May - also lining up, but he will be there both to help, and wait in the wings as an understudy de luxe should any chances arise.